Dear Readers,Many of you have written to say you're enjoying the scrapbook pages on Phantomstallion.com. I hope you like the photo taken of me & the Phantom at the beautiful sanctuary in Shingletown, California. More later!Happy trails,Terri

Dear Readers,You've read about BLM adoptions in BLUE WINGS and other PHANTOM books, but tons of you have never been to one. Now's your chance to change that.If you're interested in adopting or just watching wild Western horses, snag a ride to Ewing, Illinois next weekend, March 2 & 3. Foals and horses up to 5 years old will be available and BLM is awarding free, special halters, too. For more information, you can read this article: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,50909.shtml

HI!A wonderful article ran in Friday's Carson Times newspaper and I know you'll love it!If you'd like to read them or print them out, go to http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CARSON and scroll down until you see RainCloud's pretty face. Then, below it, there are TWO articles!

This one: Author's discovery of real Phantom brings imagination to life

And this one: Residents round up $4,000 to save stallionFor about 15 years, wild horse advocates in the Dayton area enjoyed the occasional visits of a majestic white stallion that wandered down from the mountains

Dear Readers,My order for bookmarks featuring the cover of WILD HORSE ISLAND: The Horse Charmer is at the printer. The bookmarks may be ready to mail as soon as Feb. 2.If you'd like one, please read the details below and make sure you follow the directions!

Dear Readers,I spent yesterday & the day before visiting the Phantom at the Wild Horse Sanctuary in Shingletown, California. He's still in a pasture with Shy and Lily and he's been rolling in the red dirt until he's turned his silvery mane almost auburn! Since the Phantom has a habit of running for home territory (which is five hours away by car), the sanctuary riders are checking every inch of fence before he's free again in new wild horse country. I'll share some photos with you soon. Getting close to the Phantom in the open -- safely -- wasn't easy, but staying wild is the point of this sanctuary. Still, the big guy likes this new thing called HAY and while he was packing it away, I was able to get a good look at him. When you see the photos, I think you'll agree with me that the Phantom was mostly amused by my human antics! I'm talking to Dianne at the sanctuary about establishing a PHANclub -- get it? :) -- with special rewards & privileges for members. More about that later, too!Talk with you soon,Terri

Good News: Two Texas slaughterhouses responsible for the death & processing of more than half of horses killed for humans to eat must stop or face prosecution according to a ruling by the 5th District Appeals court.

Bad News: The slaughterhouses' representatives say they will fight this decision by appealing it to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Dear Readers,If you ever find yourself without a book to read (horrors!) but you do have access to a computer, you might think about playing Bookworm. I was introduced to this game by my daughter, but my husband quickly became the family champion. He's thousands of points ahead of me! Still, it's fun, great exercise for both sides of your brain. Just don't get obsessed ; the word pictures in your mind are pretty boring compared to books!Happy trails,Terri

p.s. Speaking of not having a book to read, yesterday I stopped to chat with a friend as I was walking to my wonderful local library and I arrived after closing time. Of course I had books to read at home (my in-case-of-emergency pile, but it struck me how much I appreciate librarians! I plan to tell them asap & maybe you'd like to do the same!!!

Good guys #2: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (http://www.aspca.org) just awarded over $14,000 to groups helping horses!

Whimsical Equine Rescue of Seaford, DE, received a grant to assist in building their organization.- Hope for Horses Rescue Inc. of Blue Ridge, TX, received a grant toward the care of PMU colts- United Pegasus Foundation of Tehachapi, CA, received emergency funding toward the purchase of hay and for drought relief.- Lazy Maple Equine Rescue & Rehabilitation Center of Leland, IL, will use its grant for materials to repair stalls and build two new shelters

Good Guys #3: Take a peek inside a real life organization similar to my fictional HARP program, check out Flyingchange.org

Dear Readers,I've been kickin' back today -- playing with my pets, hiking and reading lots of your email, because yesterday I finished writing a new WILD HORSE ISLAND book. I won't say it wasn't WORK or that I didn't spend way too much time wearing sweats, a ponytail, my glasses & squinting at the keyboard in the middle of the night, but I can't wait to do it again!!! Writing (like reading and riding) ROCKS!If you like it too, you'll want to explore the two sites below. I've mentioned them before, but right now they've got lots of fun stuff!

Up-to-the-minute announcements for competitions limited to young writers are hard to find, but this is a great resource. Right now there are mystery writing contests, one called MIX IT UP in which you can enter poetry about the social boundaries (can you say cliques?) in your school, several which are limited to people from certain states, including a very cool one -- worth checking out even if you're not reading this from Arizona -- for people to write original corridos. Don't know what they are??? You should go look and listen! Oh, and Fund for Writers (sponsors Writing Kid)matches adult writing mentors with younger writers, so you might want to read that information with your parents and see if it's something you'd like to do!

Ever yearn to write, but your'e not sure WHAT to write about? Go to : Writingfix.com. It's lots of fun. On the very first page, for instance, there's an Interactive Instant Plot Creator!Just scroll down to the turquoise box! Keep ridin' and writin'Terri

Dear Readers,My college student daughter and recent college grad son have been after me for some time to get a MySpace site going. This week, my daughter finally took the project into her own talented hands.If you visit http://myspace.com/terrifarley you'll see the start she's made. I love it. LOVE it! -- especially the "Wide Open Spaces" theme song that plays as you flip through some photographs. And she has lots more ideas! Have fun!Terri

Dear Readers, Tons of you write to me when your teachers assign reports on your favorite authors and I'm ALWAYS flattered when that happens! It's very exciting for me to answer your questions and be part of your school life.Sometimes, though, I'm slow getting back to you and I know that's the same for other authors you're writing about. So, I'd like to introduce you to a cool website.Author Patricia Newman lives just over the Sierras from me, near Sacramento, California and ever since she interviewed me last spring before a children's book festival, I've been exploring her website. I think you'd love it. She's done interviews with lots of writers-- like Jane Yolen, Jerry Spinelli, Tamora Pierce and lots, lots more. Here's a link to her interview with me http://www.patriciamnewman.com/farley.html If you hit the BACK button when you're finished, you can read about Patricia's writing and eavesdrop on her conversations with many of your favorite writers, all on one website!Have a wonderful Friday, Terri

Dear Readers,You may have read my inquiry about Alberta's wild horses and I've heard terrible news from Bob Henderson, president of a group fighting for the survival of the 200 horses remaining. Bob and his wife spend all their spare time on horseback or in their truck observing and photographing the wild horses. On January 01/07 they found the remains of two foals and a mare than had been shot and left to be scavenged on by the wolves and birds. This makes sixteen that they know about in the last three years all within one mile of each other. You can see these wonderful young horses alive, and read about their deaths and how you can help, here: http://www.northernhorse.com/wildhorses/I'm sad to say there have been brutal wild horse shootings and mutilation in Arizona, as well. I wish I knew the cause for this horror. I know you would join me in fighting it. Until we can understand, I think it's important we pay attention, not turn away because it makes us sick and sad. Terri

Dear Readers, I've confirmed that H.R. 249 is a bill to remove the Burns amendment from the legislation that passed two years ago. Get ready to help this new bill pass by learning the name and phone number of your Congressman. Lots of these names changed in November! It's easy to find that information...How easy ? If you know which state you live in and your zip code, you're set! http://www.house.gov/writerepPut that information where you can find it fast & be ready to express your opinion about Conrad Burns demolishing the Wild Horse Annie law! He's gone from Congress, but his amendment isn't. Yet.Happy trails,Terri

Dear Readers,Keep your fingers crossed. I'm waiting for confirmation on an email I received saying that today, on the very first day of business for the new U.S. House of Representatives, a bill was introduced to reverse the Burns amendment and ban the slaughter of wild horses and burros.If so, that would be incredible. As you know, there are many important issues for Congress to consider this year. I'll let you know as soon as I know for sure.Hopeful,Terri

Dear Readers,So many of you loved SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA that I thought you deserved a journey to a place where the selkie legend began. Visit http://orkneyjar.com/folklore/selkiefolk/index.htmlto learn more about the legend and then, look at the links on the top right of that page and click on more selkie folk stories such as "The Selkie That Did Not Forget." Some of the stories are written in the dialect of Orkney Islands of Scotland and you can also read of "documented sightings" of selkie folk. I hope you won't leave this wonderful site without exploring the home page links to images, heritage and more.Even though its climate is descibed as one of the "vilest on earth" I long to go there! Have fun looking around,Terri

I've heard someone is shooting wild horses in west central Alberta. The information passed on to me says the bodies of at least 12 horses, including foals, have been shot over the last two years, and the number has escalated with five horses being tracked down and killed last month. If you know details or what's being done by the Alberta government to protect wild horses, please contact me with documentation -- in other words, where you got your facts! That's important. If any of us plan to follow up, we need to know we have the truth, not gossip. Thanks!Terri